Could this be the port selection of the Xbox Series X?

New Twitter leaks offer a tantalizing glimpse into the possible port selection in the next generation Xbox Series X console. The forthcoming Microsoft machine has been the subject of heightened speculation in recent months, and this is the latest clue to how the console will turn out.

Authenticity confirmed

Thurrott’s Brad Sams has already corroborating the images as being authentic, meaning that these Xbox Series X photographs are particularly intriguing. The images display two vents on at the rear of the Xbox Series X, along with two USB-A ports on the back, and one on the front of the device. A single HDMI-out, an optical audio port, Ethernet, and a power-in are also included.

Perhaps the most interesting port displayed in the images though is a rectangular-shaped hole, which is rather mysterious. Sams suggests that this could be used for diagnostics, and that it would be unlikely to appear in the final product. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series X unit is marked with a serial number, and labelled as “Xbox Product Name Placeholder.”

Of course, the images shouldn’t be seen as indicative of the final product, as Microsoft has considerable opportunity to make internal alterations ahead of the console’s release. Even the design of the device could change completely, as prototypes are rarely identical to retail units that ultimately go on sale.

Microsoft seemingly intends to shift the emphasis of the Xbox Series X away from TV. Photo: Microsoft.

TV change

But the photographs do provide an insight into a variety of decisions that Microsoft appears to have already finalized. For example, the removal of the HDMI-in port from the Xbox One would represent a backtrack from the focus that Microsoft placed on TV-related features in that particular console.

Such was the emphasis on television with the Xbox One, that a mash-up video of a reveal event intended to showcase the console became infamous, and a virtual source of ridicule for Microsoft.

Arguably, the Xbox One never really recovered from this initial negative perception among gamers.

The images of the Xbox Series X first appeared on NeoGAF, and it certainly appears that they are genuine, as opposed to a fake rendering or 3D printing. It is also interesting to note that Microsoft has included a Kensington lock with the Xbox Sereis X, which will help to satisfy security-conscious users.

Sony dominated the PlayStation 4 / Xbox One generation, and Microsoft will be hoping to make inroads into Sony’s market share this time round. Photo: Pixabay.

8 million units

Analyst estimates this week suggested that the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will sell somewhere between 6 million and 8 million units in 2020. Pricing will be critical in this process, but Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter predicts that the next console generation will get off to a promising start.

Microsoft will be looking to account for a decent proportion of the consoles shifted, after Sony dominated the PlayStation 4 / Xbox One generation. Microsoft has already confirmed several of the details associated with the Xbox Series X, with the console to be built on an eight-core, 16-thread Zen 2 CPU. The Xbox One Series X will be a powerful beast, able to deliver up to 40 times more performance than the Xbox One.

Chris Morris has been playing video games since the days of Space Invaders, and had been glued to computers ever since. He has written for a variety of publications on technology and other subjects, including The Sunday Telegraph, Financial Times, and Forbes to name a few. When not writing, Chris enjoys reading, sport and walking his dog in the countryside.

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